Before the Great War in
1914, aeroplanes had never before been used as a weapon in battle.
However, the Great War brought about a huge change in the aeroplane and
a new era of warfare was begun.
At the outset of the war many military leaders viewed the aeroplane as a
novelty and couldn't visualise the benefits of such a machine in battle.
Soon the aircraft proved itself effective for reconnaisance missions to
spy on enemy trenches, spot artillery emplacements and take photographs
of enemy positions. Both the Allies and Germans were soon developing
more effective and reliable aircraft for use in the war.

German/French
Airbattle 1914.

Pilot's
Greetings.

The step to fighter
aircraft and bombers was only a short one. Fighting between aircraft
began as pilots carried projectiles to throw at ennemy planes. Soon both
sides were fixing machineguns to aeroplanes to fight in the air. Small
bombs were also developed that could be dropped from an aircraft onto
enemy supply dumps and trenches. Bigger and better planes were soon
being built to carry heavier loads and to travel longer
distances over enemy lines.

When the British went
to war against Germany on August 4, 1914, they fully anticipated that
the skies over England would soon be aswarm with giant Zeppelin bombers.
The German public enjoyed similar expectations; even the school children
favored a lusty song that urged the mighty airships to fly against the
enemy. "England," they sang, "will be destroyed by
fire."
In fact, Germany was ill-prepared to mount such an onslaught. The Navy
had lost two of its three airships in peacetime accidents, and four of
the Army's six Zeppelins were brought down by hostile fire during the
first weeks of warfare.
All this was to change drastically, owing largely to the passionate
faith and ruthless dynamism of a single officer: Commander Peter
Strasser.

Commander
Peter Strasser.

Zeppelin over
Antwerp.

The Zeppelin Company
responded to the challenge of war by agreeing to build 26 military
airships, of an enlarged and improved design, by 1915. The eight British
rigids that flew during the War were technically about five years behind
the German models and had little impact on the conflict. Germany's Army,
not to be outdone by the Navy, expanded its airship service too,
although - lacking a Strasser - it would never match the Navy's in size
or effectiveness.